Old Fashioned Cowboy cake
Submitted by Sue Lowes on Feb 06, 2013

Spicy old fashioned cake with raisins, dates and pecans

Servings:
Group

Complexity:   
Easy

Total Time:
2&1/2 hours

Ingredients:
3 cups sugar
1&1/2 tsp cinnamon
3/4 tsp cloves, ground
2 cups water
1 cup strong brewed coffee
1 box raisins (remember the old boxes--8 oz)
1 box dates, chopped (8 oz)
3/4 cup butter
4&1/2 cup all purpose flour
1&1/2 tsp baking soda
1&1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1 cup pecan halves
2 Tbsp bourbon or rum (optional)

Directions:
1. Combine first eight ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil while stirring continually. Reduce heat and let simmer 5 minutes. Remove to cool.
2. Sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
3. Once cooled to lukewarm, slowly stir the liquid spice/fruit mixture into the dry ingredients. Pour into two well-greased loaf pans.
4. Arrange pecan halves in a decorative pattern on the top of the loaves.
5. Bake 1 hour at 300 degrees
6. With a brush, gently apply a coat of corn syrup over the cakes. (A few tablespoons of bourbon or rum may be added to the corn syrup.)
7. Continue baking one hour, or until a toothpick comes out of the cakes cleanly. Cool.

Cook's Notes:
For an adult desert, you can dabble a few teaspoons of bourbon or rum on each slice prior to serving.